7 Ways Marriage Helps Men's Health

Marriage gets a bad rap. Sitcom writers joke that it’s an end to freedom and sex, suburban dramas portray it as a kind of daily funeral march, and even the most romantically blessed celebs can’t seem to make it work after the wedding.

But hear this, commitment-phobes: Tying the knot isn’t the death sentence that films like Revolutionary Road and American Beauty would have you believe it is. In fact, it’s the opposite. A growing body of research shows that marital bliss actually improves men’s health and boosts longevity, even moreso than for women. And that pesky little sex issue? Forget it — husbands and wives actually get it on morethan their single pals.

We’re not suggesting you should get married just for the sake of getting married, of course, but — as a wise woman once said — if you like it, you should put a ring on it. By making a commitment to the one you love, you may also be making a commitment to yourself and your well-being. Here, seven healthy reasons to take the plunge and say “I do.”

Married Men Have More Sex

Let’s get this one out of the way first. Despite any anecdotal evidence to the contrary, monogamy is not a one-way express ticket to celibacy. Quite the opposite, actually. Your bachelor buddies may brag more about their bedroom exploits, but when it comes to both frequency and satisfaction, husbands have the sexual health advantage.

In a comprehensive study of sexual behaviors across the globe, British researchers surveyed more than a million people in 59 countries and found that those who were married had the most sex of any group. Other data from the National Health and Social Life Survey suggest that happily wed men also feel more emotionally fulfilled by each sexual encounter. Quantity and quality.

Married Men Are Less Likely to Die of Cancer

Walking down the aisle won’t necessarily keep you from getting sick, but it may help keep you alive once you are sick. For a recent long-term study published in the journal BMC Public Health, Norwegian researchers reviewed more than 440,000 cases of 13 common cancers— including breast, prostate, lung, skin, and colon — and found that married men were less likely to die of their disease than any other population, including never-wed, divorced, and widowed patients of both sexes. Single guys, on the other hand, fared the worst of all groups: Between 2005 and 2007, they were 35 percent more likely to die of cancer than their coupled-up cohorts.

Researchers believe the disparity could be at least partly attributed to the emotional support men get from their spouses during and after cancer treatment. Married folks may also be more likely to get diagnosed at an earlier stage, thanks to gentle nudging from their significant others about keeping up with regular doctors’ visits.

Married Men Are More Likely to Survive a Heart Problem

It sounds cliché, but love is good for your heart — and we don’t just mean metaphorically. In a recent study of 225 people who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting for heart problems, happily married men were more than three times as likely to be alive 15 years after the surgery than their unwed counterparts. Even not-so-happily married men fared better than bachelors: Among the former, the survival rate was 60 percent, compared with 36 percent among the latter.

One reason for this may be that husbands are likely to seek treatment faster than their single friends, possibly thanks to their wives’ reminders or advice. According to a recent Canadian study of 4,500 heart attack patients, 75 percent of married men reported to the hospital within six hours of experiencing symptoms, compared with about 68 percent of men who were single, 69 percent of men who were divorced, and 71 percent of men who were widowed. (The same benefit was not seen in women.)

Married Men Have Lower Levels of PTSD

Love conquers all — even, perhaps, war. According to a recent study from the Journal of Traumatic Stress, frequent communication with a spouse may improve men’s health by preventing PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, in married active-duty military members. Researchers looked at nearly 200 male Army soldiers and found that those in satisfying marriages who corresponded regularly with their wives — via letters, emails, or care packages — had lower levels of PTSD than their unmarried (or unhappily married) colleagues. Mail bonding at its best.

Married Men Live Longer

Don’t think of walking down the aisle as losing your independence — think of it as gaining a few extra years on your life. Multiple studies have shown that marriage boosts longevity, particularly for men. In one, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, scientists at the University of Louisville analyzed data on 500 million people from 90 previousstudies and found that the overall risk of death was 32 percent lower for married men than for single men — equivalent to eight to 17 extra years of life.

Other data show similar trends. In a study of almost 75,000 women and more than 61,000 men in China, those who were married lived longer than their single, divorced, or widowed counterparts — regardless of other health conditions. Live long and prosper!

Married Men Behave Better

It’s called “settling down” for a reason. According to a recent study, married men are more responsible, less aggressive and antisocial, and less likely to get caught up in illegal or delinquent undertakings than their single peers. Researchers at Michigan State University looked at 289 pairs of male twins and found that among those in which one brother married and one remained single, the coupled-up twin engaged in less “antisocial behavior” than his sibling. Overall, the scientists said, marriage seemed to reduce aggression and criminal activity by as much as 30 percent. Translation? More wedding rings, fewer handcuffs.

Married Men Drink Less

One reason that married men may behave better, have more sex, live longer, and feel healthier? They drink less. According to a European study of several countries, while husbands tended to imbibe as frequently as their single friends, they consumed significantly less beer, wine, and liquor on each occasion (and overall). Seeing as how men are more susceptible to binge drinking and alcohol dependence than women, this is definitely one to put in the “win” column. Cheers!

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